Funeral Planning Guide

Senior woman signing end-of-life documents with lawyer

Planning a funeral is one of the most personal and emotional decisions we make in life. Whether you’re preparing for your own end-of-life wishes or helping a loved one navigate this difficult time, having a clear, supportive resource can make all the difference.

This funeral planning guide walks individuals and families through each step of the process. From understanding different types of funerals and managing expenses to writing an obituary and coordinating services, we’re here to help you feel informed and supported. We’ll also explain how whole body donation here at MERI can be a meaningful and impactful choice, offering a lasting contribution to medical research and education.

Why Funeral Planning Matters

Taking time to plan a funeral in advance offers more than just logistical support; it provides peace of mind for everyone involved. Whether you’re planning for yourself or a loved one, making thoughtful decisions ahead of time allows families to grieve without the added pressure of urgent choices.

Funeral planning also brings clarity. When your preferences are written down, there’s no confusion or second-guessing. From the type of service you want to where you’d like to be laid to rest, documenting your wishes ensures that your life is honored in the way you envisioned.

Funeral Planning Checklist

A complete funeral planning guide should cover all the important decisions that arise during this process. Here’s what to consider when preparing for a funeral:

Type of disposition: Will it be burial, cremation, or whole body donation? Each choice has its own process, cost, and impact. Whole body donation to MERI offers the added benefit of advancing medical research.
Preferred services or gatherings: Consider whether you’d like a traditional funeral, memorial service, celebration of life, or private ceremony. Types of funerals vary widely.
Memorial personalization: Think about music, readings, speakers, or personal items that reflect your or your loved one’s life and values.
Final resting place: If burial is chosen, specify cemetery and plot preferences. For cremation, consider what will happen with the ashes.
Financial planning: Estimate costs, research providers, and explore support options like funeral cost support through body donation.
Legacy considerations: Write or update your will, assign powers of attorney, and think about how to write a meaningful obituary.
Support for surviving family: Plan for emotional and logistical support, including grief counseling, estate management, and trusted points of contact.

Step-by-Step Funeral Planning Process

If you’re wondering how to plan a funeral, this step-by-step guide breaks it into manageable phases. Whether you’re organizing a service now or preparing in advance, having a plan in place can ease stress during a difficult time.

Step 1. Initial Tasks

The first few hours and days after a loved one passes are often the most overwhelming. These initial steps help lay the foundation:

Obtain a legal pronouncement of death, either from a hospice nurse, attending physician, or by calling 911.
Choose a funeral home or explore a donation organization as an alternative.
Arrange transportation of the deceased to the funeral home or coroner if an autopsy is required.
Start the obituary by collecting key personal details and stories.
Notify close family and friends, or designate someone to do so.

Step 2. Assess Disposition Options

Disposition refers to how the body is cared for after death. This is a central part of any funeral planning guide:

Traditional burial, including selecting a casket, grave plot, and marker.
Cremation, with or without a service.
Green burial, a more environmentally conscious option.
Whole body donation through MERI, a no-cost option that advances medical education and research while easing financial burden.

Step 3. Plan the Service

A funeral or memorial service is a meaningful opportunity to honor the life and legacy of your loved one. Details to consider include:

Type of service: traditional funeral, celebration of life, wake, military ceremony, or religious rites.
Service location, such as a place of worship, community center, or family home.
Music selections, readings, and speakers.
Floral arrangements, photos, and memorial displays.
Printed materials such as programs, guest books, and memorial cards.
Transportation for family, guests, and the casket.
Eulogy and officiant: choose someone to lead the ceremony and speak on behalf of family and friends.

Step 4. Legal and Logistical Documents

There are several important documents to complete and file as part of preparing for a funeral:

Order death certificates, and request multiple copies for use with banks, insurance companies, and legal matters.
Secure a burial permit or disposition permit through your funeral provider.
Submit the obituary to local or national newspapers.
Coordinate post-service needs, such as food and drink, charitable donations in lieu of flowers, and gratitude notes to those who helped.

Exploring Funeral Service Options

As part of any complete funeral planning guide, understanding the different types of services available helps families make choices that reflect their values, budget, and beliefs. Whether you prefer a traditional funeral or a more modern or sustainable approach, there are options to fit every need.

Traditional Funeral and Memorial Services

Traditional funerals often follow a familiar structure that includes:

Visitation or viewing: This is a dedicated time for family and friends to gather, offer condolences, and spend a final moment with the deceased. It provides an opportunity for private reflection and communal support before the service.
A formal funeral service: Typically led by a religious or spiritual leader, this part of the ceremony includes readings, prayers, eulogies, and shared memories. It may take place in a church, funeral home, or another meaningful location and serves as a structured way to honor the life of the person who passed.
Procession and burial: If the deceased is being buried, a procession to the cemetery often follows the service. This may include a graveside ceremony and final rites. Afterward, families often host a reception or meal to continue gathering and sharing memories.

Many families personalize these services with:

Meaningful music selections: Songs that were important to the deceased or resonate with their personality can be included during the ceremony, either played or performed live, to create a more intimate and emotional experience.
Floral arrangements: Flowers are often chosen to reflect favorite blooms, colors, or even symbolic meanings, helping to represent the spirit of the individual in a visual and fragrant way.
Photo displays and memory tables: Visual elements like photo collages, memorabilia, or video slideshows allow attendees to reflect on different moments in the person’s life and celebrate their journey.
Religious or cultural rituals: Depending on the family’s background, services may include specific customs such as burning incense, saying traditional prayers, offering food, or incorporating items with cultural significance. These rituals help preserve tradition and offer spiritual comfort.

These services can vary significantly by region, faith tradition, and community. To better understand different formats, see our resources on types of funerals and what happens at a memorial service.

Alternative Options: Cremation, Green Burials, and Whole Body Donation

If you’re exploring how to plan a funeral in a way that reflects your values and budget, alternative options like cremation, green burial, and whole body donation are worth considering. These paths offer flexibility, affordability, and a meaningful legacy, often at a fraction of the cost of traditional funerals.

Cost Comparison

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a traditional funeral with burial in 2023 was $8,300, excluding cemetery fees or headstone expenses. In contrast:

Cremation with a memorial service typically costs between $2,000 and $5,000.
Green burial options can range from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on location and burial ground.
Whole body donation through MERI is completely cost-free to the family. Transportation, cremation, and return of remains are all covered.

Environmental Impact

Traditional burial often involves embalming fluids, steel or hardwood caskets, and concrete vaults. Green burials eliminate these materials and support natural decomposition, while whole body donation contributes to medical education before cremation, reducing resource use and environmental impact.

Legacy and Purpose

Cremation provides flexibility for memorials, scattering, or keeping ashes close.
Green burials reflect a commitment to sustainability and land conservation.
Whole body donation is ideal for those who want to contribute to scientific progress, helping train future doctors and improve health outcomes.

Key Differences at a Glance

Service Type	Cost Estimate USD	Legacy Impact	Environmental Consideration	Services Included
Traditional Funeral	$8,000+	Personal Tribute	High Impact	Visitation, Burial, Service
Cremation	$2,000–$5,000	Flexible Memorial Options	Moderate Impact	Cremation, optional service
Green Burial	$1,500–$4,000	Conservation-Focused	Low Impact	Burial in Eco-Friendly Cemetery
Whole Body Donation	$0 (via MERI)	Medical Research & Education	Low Impact	No-Cost Cremation, Return of Ashes

When choosing among these options, think about the values and legacy you want to honor, whether through a traditional ceremony or by supporting future generations through whole body donation.

Funeral Costs and Preplanning Strategies

Understanding Funeral Costs

A funeral planning guide isn’t complete without addressing cost. Funeral expenses can vary widely depending on the type of service, location, and individual preferences. Knowing what to expect helps families budget and avoid financial surprises during an already difficult time.

The National Funeral Directors Association shares that the average cost of a traditional funeral with viewing and burial in 2023 was $8,300, not including cemetery or headstone costs. Cremation with a service averaged $6,280. Some common expenses include:

Basic service fees (required by funeral homes): $2,300+
Transport and preparation of remains: $500 – $1,000
Casket or urn selection: $1,000 – $3,000 (or more for custom caskets)
Use of facilities for viewing or service: $500 – $1,500
Printed materials, flowers, and obituaries: Varies, often $300 – $800

Factors like geography, customizations, and added services (e.g., video tributes, extended visitation hours, catered receptions) can significantly increase final costs.

Benefits and Steps of Preplanning a Funeral

Preplanning is one of the most thoughtful and effective steps you can take to prepare for a funeral. It reduces stress on loved ones, ensures your personal wishes are followed, and helps avoid emotional overspending during a time of grief.

Benefits of preplanning include:

Clarity: Your wishes are clearly documented and known in advance.
Control: You make key decisions about services, readings, and disposition.
Financial relief: Prepayment or cost planning reduces burden on your family.
Peace of mind: Loved ones can focus on grieving and healing, not logistics.

Preplanning Checklist:

Explore your options: Learn about types of funerals including cremation, burial, and donation.
Document your preferences: Choose service type, music, readings, and burial or donation plans.
Plan financially: Set aside funds or explore low-cost alternatives like whole body donation.
Communicate your wishes: Talk with family members and share written plans with your healthcare proxy or executor.
Select a funeral provider: Research local funeral homes or body donation organizations and record contact details.

Whether you’re supporting a loved one or planning for yourself, starting this conversation early allows time to consider your values, budget, and the legacy you want to leave.

How to Begin Your Funeral Planning Journey

Starting your funeral planning journey may feel overwhelming, but taking the first steps now can bring clarity, comfort, and peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Here’s how to begin:

Talk with your family: Open a conversation about your values, preferences, and hopes for how you’d like to be remembered. These conversations ensure that your wishes are known and reduce emotional pressure later on.
Document and organize important information: Create a central place for essential documents, such as legal paperwork, insurance policies, and any written funeral preferences, so your loved ones can easily access what they need.
Consider registering for whole body donation with us: Whole body donation is a meaningful way to contribute to medical education and research. Through MERI, this option covers all costs for cremation and transportation, making it both impactful and cost-free to families.
Use planning tools and checklists to stay prepared: Whether you’re exploring types of funerals, budgeting, or thinking about final arrangements, use structured tools like our funeral planning checklist to stay organized and confident throughout the process.

Learn about Whole Body Donation with MERI and take one meaningful step toward a plan that reflects your values and eases the burden on your loved ones. It’s a no-cost option that supports medical education and research while providing your family with peace of mind, knowing your final gift will make a lasting difference.